PHILADELPHIA — When a team slides like the Rockies, focus shifts, in part, to the minor leagues. As in: Is there any help on the way? Two prospects were regarded highly enough by the industry to be named to the July 8 Futures Game in Kansas City as part of the All-Star festivities.

Tulsa third baseman Nolan Arenado will play for the U.S. squad, while Drillers teammate Edwar Cabrera will be on the World team’s pitching staff. Arenado is batting .293 with seven home runs — he hit one in the Drillers’ loss Wednesday — 17 doubles and a .344 on-base percentage. Cabrera, a left-hander with a good fastball and magnificent changeup, is 7-4 with a 2.97 ERA. The Dominican Republic product has 73 strikeouts in 91 innings, but the absence of a strong breaking pitch helps explain why he has allowed 14 home runs.

Drew Pomeranz continues to inch closer to a return to the big leagues, throwing six no-hit innings last night in the Sky Sox’s 8-2 victory. Pomeranz lost his command briefly in the fifth, but those in attendance said he was regularly topping 91 mph with his velocity. He was sent to Triple-A Colorado Springs to find his old, higher arm slot, while getting more speed on his fastball. Pomeranz walked three and struck out eight, lowering his ERA to 2.61. He threw 103 pitches, 62 strikes.

He had been relying much more on a cutter while in the big leagues this season. The Rockies have talked internally about Pomeranz’s progress, which should at some point lead to him rejoining the Colorado rotation.

As it stands, the Rockies have gone to a four-man rotation because of their youth and ineffectiveness. The starters will be limited to 75 pitches, though that could vary slightly once the team finishes the current 20 games in 20 days stretch.

The minors take on more meaning with every Rockies’ loss. As this season progresses, young players will continue to get opportunities.

The Triple-A team was off, but I fully expect to see Drew Pomeranz back in the big leagues soon. It likely hinges on when Jeremy Guthrie is traded. That could happen this week.

The first-place Double-A club always bear watching given the glut of prospects that includes Nolan Arenado, Josh Rutledge and pitcher Edwar Cabrera.

And don’t sleep on Corey Dickerson. All the outfielder does is hit. He was promoted from Modesto to Tulsa recently. He hit his second home run in Double-A last night, knocking in three runs. He’s only batting .161, but was raking at Class-A to earn his promotion.

If the Rockies trade Jeremy Guthrie — and if they don’t believe Guillermo Moscoso can fill a spot in the rotation — they might be forced to look south down I-25 to Triple-A Colorado Springs for Guthrie’s replacement.

Lefty Drew Pomeranz’s raw numbers are solid: 3.06 ERA over seven starts with 34 strikeouts vs. only 13 walks. But reports are that Pomeranz has not been particularly sharp and his mechanics are still not where the Rockies want them to be. Also, Pomeranz has thrown just 35 innings in seven starts, and the Rockies desperately need more innings from their starters.

There were some interesting developments at Triple-A Colorado Springs Tuesday as the Sky Sox lost 13-7 to Reno on Tuesday.

Let’s begin with Sky Sox reliever Edgmer Escalona. The hard-throwing, mercurial right-hander was ejected in the eighth inning for rubbing his fingers on a foreign substance on his left forearm. He might be suspended for up to 10 games.

The Double-A Tulsa Drillers struck it rich with excellent performances from pitcher Edward Cabrera and outfielder Corey Dickerson on Monday in 6-0 win over Northwest Arkansas.

Cabrera was coming off his worst start of the season, but the left-hander rebounded with a one-hit, seven-inning gem. Cabrera was perfect through four innings and carried a no-hitter into the sixth. He struck out five and walked two.

Although the High-H Modesto Nuts continue to struggle, outfielder Corey Dickerson continues to shine. As a result, he’s been promoted to Double-A Tulsa. Dickerson hit .338 with 24 doubles, nine home runs and 43 RBIs in 60 games for the Nuts.

Modesto, by the way, lost 9-4 to Bakersfield on Sunday. Starter Brandon Hynick gave up three runs in the third and three more in the fourth, putting the Nuts in a 6-0 hole.

Sacramento 8, Colorado Springs 2
Manny Ramirez — yes, that Manny Ramirez — played a big part in Sacramento’s win over the Sky Sox, driving in three runs, two of them coming on a two-out double in the third.

Colorado Springs starter Rob Scahill (3-8, 5.94 ERA) continues to scuffle. Scahill lost his sixth consecutive decision, charged with five runs, five hits and five walks in 4 1/3 innings.

The positive news came from center fielder Tim Wheeler. He was 2-for-4 with an RBI and scored a run, extended his hitting streak to eight games. Wheeler missed Colorado Spring’s first 19 home games due to injury, but in his first eight games at Security Service Field he’s batting .375 (12-for-32). Overall, Wheeler’s average has improved to .279.

Tulsa 4, NW Arkansas 2
Tulsa starter Parker Frazier held the Naturals without a hit through the first five innings before surrendering a two-out double to Paulo Orlando in the top of the sixth. Frazier didn’t pick up the victory, but he pitched 6 2/3 strong innings, allowing one run on two hits, striking out four and walking three.

Third base prospect Nolan Arenado went 2-for-4, boosting his average to .291. Designated hitter Ben Paulson (.280) was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Asheville 13, West Virginia 3
Outfielder/first baseman Tyler Massey continues swinging a hefty bat for Class-A Asheville. He went 3-for-5 and drove in five runs as the Tourists routed West Virginia. Massey is hitting .331. Catcher Will Swanner batted 3-for-4 with an RBI, increasing his average to .336.

Asheville starter Chris Jensen, staked to a 11-1 through four innings, cruised to his sixth victory. He allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits in six innings.

Nobody cries in baseball. And nobody feels sorry for anyone. I, however, have sympathy for Tulsa players in August. I went there last year and they were taking abbreviated BP sessions, wearing only shorts and light tops because of the 118-degree heat and smothering humidity. The point? The Drillers are in first place and might want to get some breathing room in the standings before the sauna days of summer engulf them.

They won on Thursday night, beating Springfield 6-4 to remain atop the standings by one game despite winning only four of their last 10.

As the Drillers overcame a three-run deficit, third baseman Nolan Arenado went 3-for-5 with his 16th double. While I have predicted for months that Arenado could make his big league debut in June, it’s becoming increasingly unlikely with Jordan Pacheco performing well. Pacheco’s improvement defensively will allow the Rockies to be patient with Arenado if they choose that path.

Coty Woods converted his ninth save for the Drillers.

In Triple-A, the Sky Sox host Sacramento this weekend. The RiverCats’ roster includes Manny Ramirez. Just saying in case you are planning on going. Matt McBride, acquired in the Ubaldo Jimenez trade, owns 20 extra base hits and is batting .359 for the Sky Sox.

The Class-A Modesto Nuts were routed 12-4, falling to 30-31 overall. In a DH role, former first-round pick Kyle Parker collected two hits.

Asheville won 2-0 and last year’s top pick Tyler Anderson continued to roll in his first minor league season. The left-hander is 4-0 with a 3.38 ERA after working six scoreless innings.

The Double-A Tulsa Drillers are beginning to resemble the May version of their parent club.

Like the Rockies, the Drillers can’t seem to put together a game where they pitch well and hit well at the same time. Wednesday, Tulsa gave starter Edwar Cabrera a 6-1 entering the fifth inning, but he couldn’t hold it as Springfield beat the Drillers 9-7.

Cabrera allowed eight hits and six runs in 5 2/3 innings. He gave up a two-run home run to Kolten Wong in the fifth inning, then allowed three runs in the sixth on a walk and three singles. He also made an error on a pickoff attempt.

It was an inning to forget for Colorado Springs starter Rob Scahill and reliever Kennil Gomez. Combined, they gave up nine runs in the fourth inning in a 9-5 loss to Tucson.

Scahill had allowed just one baserunner entering the fourth, but he gave up a leadoff single, a walk, a home run and two more walks before Gomez entered the game. Gomez quickly gave up a run-scoring single, walked in a run, and also gave up a grand slam.

Sky Sox outfielder Andrew Brown went 3-for-5, scored twice and improved his average to .266.

Some signs indicated that lefty Drew Pomeranz is ready to return to the big leagues. But other signs say he still has work to do.

Pomeranz struck out seven in Triple-A Colorado Spring’s 6-2 victory over Tucson on Sunday. He allowed just one run on five hits, lowering his ERA to 2.22. Pomeranz has allowed just three earned runs over 13 1/3 innings in his three starts at pitcher-unfriendly Security Service Field.

But he also walked five batters Sunday and needed 105 pitches to get through his 4 2/3 innings. Rockies manager Jim Tracy continues to say that until Pomeranz works out kinks in his mechanics, and shows an ability to throw to both sides of the plate, Pomeranz will remain in Triple-A.

A night after scoring 22 runs on a club-record 27 hits, the Sky Sox were brought back to earth by Salt Lake City in a 7-1 loss. The Bees’ Eric Hurley threw seven shutout innings and allowed just three hits and struck out eight.

Chad Tracy (son of manager Jim Tracy) drove in the only Sky Sox run, bringing home Andrew Brown in the ninth with a single. Brown led off the inning with a double.

Starter Rob Scahill (3-6) was pulled from the game in the third with an apparent leg injury.

Lefty Tyler Matzek, the 11th overall pick of the 2009 draft, took another big step forward Wednesday. The organization will be watching to see if it holds.

Lack of control had been Matzek’s biggest enemy early in the season, but the High-A Modesto starter pitched eight crisp innings in the Nuts’ 9-1 victory over High Desert. For the first time, he worked more than seven innings, and he needed just 95 pitches to get there. He allowed one run on three hits, struck out nine and walked just one.

Over his last three starts, Matzek is 3-0, allowing just two earned runs and 10 hits while striking out 23 and walking only five.

Wednesday, Matzek was perfect through three innings and retired 17 of the first 18 batters he faced.

The Drew Pomeranz project continues with Triple-A Colorado Springs. Playing at Salt Lake City, the left-hander had mixed results in a 7-3 loss to the Bees.

Pomeranz picked up the loss, surrendering three runs on nine hits while striking out seven in five innings. The good news is that he didn’t walk any.

Lefty reliever Rex Brothers took a step forward pitched two perfect innings and struck out two.

Rancho Cucamonga 5, Modesto 2
High-A Modesto starter Leuris Gomez pitched well, retiring the first six batters he faced. He gave up three singles in the third, but then sent down 10 straight batters. His final line: 5 1/3 innings, two runs (one earned), four hits, four strikeouts.

The Nuts’ bats were relatively quiet, but outfielder Corey Dickerson (.350) had a double and DH Jared Clark smashed his 11th homer.

(Double-A Tulsa, Class-A Asheville)
The Tulsa Drillers had the day off, and Asheville’s game against Charleston was suspended in the bottom of the third because of rain with the Tourists trailing 7-3.

Tyler Chatwood, the Triple-A Colorado Springs right-hander, struggled mightily in his first start since May 2. In the Sky Sox’s 10-8 loss to Fresno, Chatwood allowed eight runs (seven earned) in 3 1/3 innings. Seven of Fresno’s runs came in the third and fourth innings.

Outfielder Andrew Brown continued his torrid May, hitting a three-run homer in the first inning. He leads Colorado Springs with sixth homers and 39 RBIs. In May, Brown leads all of Triple-A with 32 RBIs and is tied for the second most extra-base hits with 18.

The lefty, a year removed from Tommy John elbow surgery, lasted just 3 1/3 innings Sunday in Triple-A Colorado Springs’ loss to Fresno. De La Rosa threw just 32 of 60 pitches for strikes. He allowed three earned run on four hits — including two homers. He also walked two and hit a batter.

Tommy Field had two hits for the Sky Sox, and Andrew Brown hit his fifth homer of the season.

The Sky Sox lost for the fifth time in seven games.

Tulsa 7, Midland 4
While De La Rosa struggled at Triple-A, Edwar Cabrera shinned for the Double-A Drillers. The lefty struck gave up four hits and one run while striking out seven and walking just two in 6 2/3 innings. His ERA is a sparkling 1.99 at ONEOK Field, but it’s 5.16 in four road starts.

Third baseman Nolan Arenado went 2-for-4 with a double, boosting his average to .306.

Modesto 6, Rancho Cucamonga 1
Christian Bergman pitched a strong game for the High-A Modesto Nuts, allowing one run on four hits. Bergman worked out of jams in the first and sixth innings, and at one point retired 11 straight batters.

Shortstop Cristhian Adames went 4-for-4 with a double and three RBIs for the Nuts.

Asheville 7, Rome 5
The Class-A Tourists didn’t pitch particularly well, but they pounded out 14 hits, including a 2-for-4 day from Tyler Massey.

Catcher Will Swanner had a double but was forced out of the game with a leg injury.

Rockies fans hoping to see a quick fix for lefty Drew Pomeranz are going to be disappointed.

It looks like it’s going to be a while before the prospect/project can return to the big-league club and add stability to their reeling rotation. While Pomeranz’s raw numbers look good, he is still struggling with mechanics and pitch command.

Making his third start for Triple-A Colorado Springs on Thursday, Pomeranz (2-1, 1.23 ERA) lost for the first time, allowing six runs (four unearned) in three innings of work as Oklahoma City beat the Sky Sox 7-4.

There was a bit of good news and a lot of bad news for Triple-A Colorado Springs in it’s 9-5 loss to Oklahoma City on Tuesday.

The good: Rockies Third baseman Chris Nelson, on a rehab assignment as he comes back from an injured wrist, had three hits, including a double, and scored two runs. Left fielder Andrew Brown also had three hits, including a double, with two RBIs.

The bad: Lefty reliever Rex Brothers, in his first start since being sent down last weekend, continues to struggle with command. In two innings, he walked two, allowed two hits and gave up a run. He did strike out five, showing that his dynamic stuff is very effective — when he can harness it.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.